Just Give Them Time
by LadyRae809
Summary: Mr. Gold is known amongst Storybrooke as the notorious, cold-hearted pawnbroker. Belle is the only one to see past his icy exterior, and she hopes that one day other people will see the good in him. So one day when Belle goes missing, a certain werewolf begins to see Gold in a different light and determines that there may be something there that wasn't there before...


"Ruby! Send Table Five their food and refill Table Seven's drinks. And for goodness sakes did you _have_ to wear those leather pants? I can't believe you would want to parade around this place in pants that are tighter than Mayor Mills' personality!"

Ruby shot a disdainful look towards her grandmother before doing what she was asked. The diner was just slowing down from the breakfast rush and Ruby was counting down the hours before her next break.

 _"Just a bit longer, Ruby. Hang in there."_

The morning hadn't been so bad though. Ruby had met a newcomer by the name of Belle; she was quite friendly and had a fondness for iced tea and books. Ruby liked her instantly. With her wolf instincts back, Ruby could easily sense that Belle possessed a kind and trusting spirit, so it was only natural that Ruby had been quick to help aid Belle in finding a job. Belle appeared to not know many people in Storybrooke, yet Ruby decided it was more than safe to become her friend. After all, it might be fun to bring Belle along for a Girls' Night once in a while.

After loading the rest of the dirty dishes, Ruby emerged from the back room and spied something in the booth that Belle sat in earlier. "Hmm…must've left it when she hurried to leave", she muttered to herself. Ruby lifted the grey sweater from the seat, folded it up, and placed it behind the main counter.

 _"I'll return this to her when I get off work. She must have made it to the library by now. Maybe she'll still be there later today."_

Suddenly, the air grew colder. Not the kind of cold that one feels when the air conditioner first turns on, but the kind of cold that starts at the base of your neck and trickles slowly down your spine. An inward chill of fear.

Mr. Gold stepped into the diner with David trailing closely behind him. Onlookers quickly turned their attentions back towards their meals as to avoid eye contact with the notorious pawnbroker. Ruby sighed inwardly. She was in no mood to deal with this man this early in the day.

Before she could speak, David pulled her aside quietly.

"Ruby, listen. We need your help. Have you seen this woman? She's gone missing and we can't seem to get a lead on where she may be."

Ruby looked at the missing person flyer in David's hand. The woman portrayed in the drawing had dark brown hair and deep blue eyes. Definitely Belle. But why on earth was Mr. Gold accompanying David. Was _he_ trying to find her? _Oh no_. She probably made a deal with him and couldn't hold up her end of the bargain; she was on the run and needed to find a job so she could pay him back. Ruby silently cursed Mr. Gold for his notorious reputation.

How dare he inflict such a deep fear in everyone in town, _especially_ to someone as sweet as Belle? No way was she about to hand Belle over to this beast.

"Belle, huh? Sorry. Doesn't _ring a bell_." She smiled at her own quip. She hoped that would annoy Mr. Gold enough for him to leave the diner and go about his business elsewhere.

"Ruby, listen to me. If you've come across her, you gotta tell me. I'll make sure nothing bad happens."

Ruby looked at David closely. She could trust him, but…

"What about _him_?" She eyed Mr. Gold over David's shoulder.

"I've got him. Trust me."

Sensing the truth behind David's words, Ruby allowed herself to assist them with her answers. She hoped she wasn't making a mistake.

"Actually, she _was_ here earlier. She was looking for a job, so I pointed her in the direction of the library."

Mr. Gold stepped forward expectantly. "When do you think she went there?"

Ruby shrugged. "Not sure." It had been only an hour ago since Belle left to go to the library, but if she _did_ go missing then she may not be there now. Ruby then remembered the sweater under the counter. If Belle wasn't at the library, then Ruby might not be able to return the sweater as promptly as she would have hoped. Might as well send it with David and Mr. Gold.

"But…when you find her, would you mind giving her this?" Ruby held out the sweater, "She left it in her booth."

"That's mine," Mr. Gold said a bit too quickly. Ruby was stunned. _His_ sweater?

"She didn't have anything for the cold," he continued more subtly.

 _No way._

Mr. Gold actually _gave_ someone something out of…kindness? Surely this couldn't be the Mr. Gold Ruby has always known. No. This was all too new for Ruby to take in. Even though Gold's selfless action was small, it said a great deal about his relationship to Belle. No one has managed to bring out the good side in Mr. Gold before. Exactly _how_ special was Belle to him?

Her brain was screaming at her to not get involved in the matter any further.

 _"Just let them do their thing and find Belle. They can manage. Just get Mr. Gold out of the diner so these poor customers can stop glancing over their shoulders every two seconds and eat their meals in peace."_

Ruby was about to bid them farewell so she could get back to work when she felt a small nudge in the back of her mind. Her wolf instincts weren't as alert towards the pawnbroker as they had been in the past. Usually they would tell her to go about her business and stay out of his way, but at this very moment, they were telling her to…what? _Help_ him? This was an unfamiliar feeling; however, Ruby was not about to give up so easily on her new friend, and if Belle _was_ missing, then perhaps she could be of some service.

 _"Guess it wouldn't be so bad if I took my break early today,"_ she thought.

She looked at David, "You sure you'll look after her?" Even if she was about to help Mr. Gold, her loyalty remained with Belle. She had to make sure Mr. Gold wouldn't harm her in any way.

"Yes," David assured. "Why?"

"I think…I can find her. Lately since things changed, I've been a little more sensitive to odors."

"You mean…you can smell her?" Mr. Gold sounded confused.

Ruby inspected Mr. Gold one final time. Her instincts were still telling her to help him. _Why_? She had no idea. But she couldn't just abandon Belle if she was truly missing. That was now her top priority. She requested the sweater from Mr. Gold.

"I guess it's because of the wolf thing."

Ruby was a skilled tracker. Yes, she was part wolf after all, so it was natural for her to find her targets rather easily. Despite being cursed in this new realm for twenty-eight years, her reclaimed tracking ability was still sharp, so picking up Belle's scent was no trouble. The only problem was the sudden stench of roses and other flora that filled Ruby's nose, hindering her from keeping up with Belle's scent.

She turned around to face David and Mr. Gold.

David looked concerned. "What's wrong?"

"I had her…but I lost her trail." Ruby suddenly let out a small sneeze. The smell of flowers was too strong. "It must be the flowers. I can't track her anymore…I'm sorry."

Mr. Gold held up his hand. "Don't be. This is her father's shop." Before he went inside, he gave Ruby a small smile of gratitude. Ruby was shocked. He never really showed anyone sincere thanks before. Today was just full of surprises.

Moe's welcome wasn't at all friendly. "You again! Get out! You're not welcome here!"

"Where's Belle?" No beating around the bush this time. Mr. Gold was determined to find out where she was.

"I won't let anything happen to her, Moe," David assured.

"We're just worried," Ruby chimed in.

"Don't be. She's safe. You can stop looking."

Mr. Gold stepped forward. His tone steadied, "Look, if I can just have the chance to talk to her…"

"You will destroy Belle like you do everything else." Moe's voice was sharp. "I will not let that happen."

"What have you done with her?" Gold's demeanor suddenly changed. He sized Moe up and glared at him with malice.

"There's only one way to get her away from you."

"What have you done?" Mr. Gold prodded Moe in the chest with his finger.

"I have to make her forget about you, no matter the cost. Even if it means she forgets me, too."

This wasn't good. Not one bit. Mr. Gold made the deduction instantly. "He's sending her across the town line."

Ruby's heart was beating frantically. She couldn't believe what she just heard; Belle's own father was sending her across the town line so she would forget all her memories. Who would do that to family? To anyone? She couldn't imagine Granny ever sending _her_ across the town line for any reason. Why on earth would Moe even consider subjecting Belle to a fate worse than death? Was all of this because Belle knew Mr. Gold? Yes, he was a man of trickery and deceit, but was he so terrible that a father would sacrifice his daughter's memories for the sake of her safety from him? What was the story behind Moe and Gold? Or Gold and Belle?

No time to idle on these questions. Ruby was out the shop door and proceeded to hop in the driver's seat to await further instructions on where to locate Belle. She had just sat down in the seat when the van lurched sideways. Ruby looked over and saw Mr. Gold pinning Moe on the side of the van. His cane was pressed against Moe's throat.

"WHERE? Where are you taking her! Tell me where!"

Ruby was certain that if David hadn't been there to restrain Mr. Gold, Moe would've certainly been a dead man.

David had taken Moe by the arm and inspected his hand. Mine dust covered Moe's wrist and fingers.

"The tunnels. They lead out of town."

Ruby's stomach dropped. Poor Belle must be terrified down in those dark tunnels. They just had to get to her soon before it was too late. She began to fasten her seat belt as David pushed Moe into the back of the van. Mr. Gold wasted no time hopping into the passenger seat and quickly shut the door. The van started and the group sped down the road towards the mines.

 _"Good thing David's with us, otherwise we'd get pulled over at any moment for speeding."_ Ruby inwardly chuckled at her own private joke. She needed to stay calm in this situation. She needed to be focused, but not stressed. She glanced in the rear-view mirror at David and Moe. Both men seemed to have some degree of worry on their faces, even though David was trying his best to remain calm. He knew the mines well, so he would know exactly how to navigate the tunnels upon arrival.

She then dared a glance towards Mr. Gold. As usual, his face was unreadable. Totally blank, but there was just a brief flicker of worry that surfaced in his features; mostly in his eyes, but it was gone as quickly as it appeared. However, even though Gold seemed to effectively hide his emotions on the surface, there was no doubt that Ruby could sense the waves of fear that emanated from within him.

 _"Must be the wolf thing again,"_ she thought as she sensed Gold's emotions.

She could hear his heartbeat quicken and marveled how he was able to hold his composure so well even though he was obviously panicked on the inside. Did Belle _really_ mean this much to him? Of course she did, otherwise he wouldn't be feeling like this. Ruby may not have known either Belle or Mr. Gold on a personal level, but she could determine that those two definitely had a past…or a present…or something. Whatever it was, Ruby knew she couldn't let it end like this. She pressed down on the gas pedal as hard as she could and they were at the mine's entrance in a matter of minutes.

Mr. Gold leapt out of the van and raced into the mines with Ruby and the rest of the group trailing behind him. After a few twists and turns, a stout man in a red cap greeted them with a nervous voice.

"H-hello, Moe! Uh…wow…I didn't expect you here so soon. I was going to bring your daughter back to the shop when this was ov-"

"WHERE IS SHE? What have you done with Belle?" Mr. Smee was cut off by Gold's furious outburst. The poor little man nearly froze in fear.

Ruby heard the distance screams down the tunnels. Definitely Belle.

"I hear her! She's down in the tunnels."

David stood at the front of the tracks. Worry spread over his face. "The mine cart! That's how they're sending her. We won't be able to reach her in time."

"That's what you think." Mr. Gold rushed beside David and extended his hands. Ruby watched as the tendrils of magic stretched from Gold's hands and quickly navigated deep into the tunnels. Belle's screaming ceased and the faint squeaks of the mine cart wheels were growing closer and closer as the cart made its way back up the tracks.

Belle emerged from around the corner. She was handcuffed to the cart and was obviously frightened and confused by all the constant activity she had endured in the past few hours. Ruby watched in awe as Mr. Gold carefully brought Belle back to them with his magic. It wasn't the magic itself that left her speechless; rather, it was the _way_ he was using it. She had never witnessed Mr. Gold use his powers for good. Never before had she seen him in the spotlight as the selfless hero. This was all too new for Ruby and she could only express her feelings with an exasperated "Wow."

As soon as the mine cart stopped, Mr. Gold flicked his wrists and the handcuffs fell off of Belle's arm and onto the ground. David picked her up out of the cart and she finally began to compose herself.

Mr. Gold carefully approached her. "Belle, are you alright?"

"I-I think so…"

"Do you remember who I am?" Ruby heard him hold his breath as he braced himself for the worst.

After a moment, Belle nodded, "I do, Rumplestiltskin. I remember."

He let out a sigh of relief as he quickly embraced her. Ruby's heart softened at the sight of the two in their embrace. She never thought that Mr. Gold would show any signs of warmth towards another human being, but, of course, this day seemed to constantly prove her wrong. She was beginning to like it.

Just then, Belle pushed Mr. Gold away. He looked confused.

"Thank you for what you just did, but that doesn't change the fact that you are too cowardly to be honest with me."

Before Mr. Gold could object, Moe intervened, "I tried to tell him that, Belle. Come with me, darling." He held out his hand.

"After what you just tried to do to me? You're no better, father! You don't get to decide what I do or how I feel. I do." She brushed both men aside as she headed towards the exit, "If either of you cared about me, you would've listened." She faced them one final time before leaving, "I don't want to see either of you again. Ever."

Ruby saw the slight pain in Mr. Gold's eyes. She thought she would enjoy the day when someone would finally stand up to the pawnbroker and give him a piece of their mind. However, at that moment, Ruby didn't feel any joy at the hurt coming from Mr. Gold, though at the same time she _was_ impressed at Belle's bravery.

She followed Belle outside towards the van.

"Hey, you okay? It's been quite a day, huh?"

Belle only managed a small smile, "Yeah…it has been. Now the question is what do I do now?"

"Well," Ruby began, "why not we head back to town first and come up with a solution there. We can discuss it over an iced tea and lunch. My treat. What do you say? Granny makes the _best_ hamburgers."

Belle smiled, "That does sound delicious, but I'd rather not be near Rumple and my father at the moment, and riding in that van with them doesn't help my situation."

"I understand." Ruby thought for a moment. "Hey, Granny's Bed & Breakfast is just a short walk from here. How about you and I head over there and I'll set you up with a room. You can stay there as long as you'd like, or at least until you're back on your feet."

"Really? You'd do that?"

"Of course, but just one question first."

"Oh? And what's that?"

"Would you prefer a forest view or a square view?"

Both girls laughed as they took the path headed towards the inn.

"I leave the diner for two seconds and I return to find that you've ditched the lunch rush! You know the dwarves get irritable when they don't get their lasagna fast enough. Where on earth did you go?"

Ruby sighed. After all the commotion that she endured this morning, she wasn't ready to deal with Granny and her scolding.

"Sorry, Granny, but I had to help find a missing person."

Granny's tone softened just a bit. "A missing person? Anyone we know?"

"Not really. I mean, I think you saw her in the diner this morning. Her name is Belle."

"Well is she still missing?"

"No. We found her at the mines. I'll tell you all the details later, but for now, just know that she's staying at the inn for the next few days."

"She doesn't have a place of her own?" Granny was more concerned than upset.

"Um…no. At least, I'm not certain. She's been through a lot today, so I didn't pester her with a lot of questions."

"Well here," Granny said extending a basket, "take some lunch and head back to the inn. The poor girl doesn't need to be alone for too long. I've got things under control here."

Ruby took the basket and gave Granny a quick hug. Granny may have a tough exterior, but she definitely had a heart of gold. Ruby added a few sandwiches and two thermoses of iced tea in the basket and headed out the door.

Ruby was only a few steps past the sheriff's station when she heard a voice call out her name. She turned around to see David walking toward her with Mr. Gold trailing close behind him.

"We were wondering where you had gone off to. You weren't waiting by the van when we left the mines, so we…," David cast a glance at Mr. Gold, "or I, rather…was a bit worried."

"Yeah, Belle and I decided to walk back. Sorry to make you worry."

Mr. Gold stepped forward. "So Belle _did_ go with you? Where is she? Is she alright?"

Ruby nodded. "Yes, she's fine. She was still a bit shaken up, so I took her to Granny's inn. She's decided to stay there for a while."

"I see." Mr. Gold responded quietly.

"Thanks for all your help today, Ruby. We couldn't have done it without you." David expressed his warm, charming smile. Mr. Gold gave a slight nod.

"No problem at all." Ruby suddenly remembered the food in her basket. "I better get going. Can't let this food spoil."

As she began to walk towards the inn, Ruby couldn't help but feel a touch of sympathy towards Mr. Gold. He went through so much effort to find Belle, only to have her push him away. She began to wonder if Belle wasn't the only one still shaken up after this long, exhausting day.

After Belle went to bed, Ruby made her way down to the living room. She was greeted by Granny, who had a mug of cocoa waiting for her. With a "thank you", Ruby settled into the comfy spot on the couch near the fire.

"So she's settled in just fine?" Granny inquired. She was sitting in her rocking chair while knitting away at what appeared to be either a scarf or a very long blanket.

Ruby nodded. "She has. After dinner, we chatted for a while and she turned in for bed. It's been a rather long day for her."

"I can only imagine. Poor girl. Tossed and turned in all sorts of directions, and she's only been in town for a short while. Tell me, did she say where she came from?"

"From what I gathered, she was a princess back in the Enchanted Forest. She wouldn't say where she was living during the curse on Storybrooke, but she seemed to adapt just fine to this realm regardless."

Granny continued to knit. "It's a shame she hasn't had a decent place to stay though. I hope she'll stay here until she's certain she can manage on her own. I don't want her to wander around town with nowhere to go."

"I told her she's welcome to stay as long as she wants." Ruby took a sip of her cocoa. "Besides, she hasn't been alone. Her father is here in Storybrooke…"

Granny snorted. After hearing what Moe did this afternoon, she wasn't very fond of the town's florist.

"…and she said she's been staying at Mr. Gold's residence since the curse broke."

Granny nearly tore a hole in the knitted fabric. "She was staying _where_?"

Ruby knew she crossed a boundary. The look on Granny's face was enough to make her wish she had kept her mouth shut.

"Oh heavens no! Why on earth would such a sweet girl stay with that monster? Honestly, what was she thinking? How could she stay with…wait? Did she make a deal with him? Of course, it all makes sense. No way in Belle's right mind would she stay with that man unless she had no other choice…" Granny was beginning to ramble.

"I don't think it was anything like that, Granny," Ruby defended, "Mr. Gold was involved in the search as well, and, surprisingly, he seemed to be just as worried about Belle's safety as everyone else."

Granny shook her head. "We'll speak of this no more. No way I will let that poor girl's reputation be tainted by that man. Mark my words, if he _does_ cause harm to Belle in any way, don't be surprised when his beloved pawnshop mysteriously catches fire."

It was the next morning at the diner. Ruby had the early shift, so she left Belle at the inn. Before she left, she told Belle to come by so she could try a traditional, Granny's diner breakfast. Ruby had only been at work for a few minutes before a figure stood in front of her at the counter. She looked up to see Mr. Gold in his usual, formal attire.

 _"Geez, doesn't this man wear anything else besides suits? It's barely 9 a.m…"_

"Good morning, Miss Ruby."

"Mr. Gold." Ruby acknowledged cautiously. _"What on earth is he doing here? What does he want?"_

Mr. Gold cleared his throat. "Listen, about yesterday, well…I just wanted to express my gratitude. David was right. Without your help, I doubt we would've found Belle in time."

"Really, it was no trouble. I was glad I could help out."

"Regardless, I still felt it necessary to thank you properly. Consider this month's rent taken care of."

Ruby was speechless. Mr. Gold offered a small smile.

"And, if you wouldn't mind doing me just one more favor, would you please give this to Belle?" He pulled out an item from his jacket.

Ruby looked at the small black box. It was neatly tied shut with a silver ribbon.

"What is this?"

"Well…let's just say this item unlocks countless worlds for Belle to explore."

Ruby looked at Mr. Gold. The man she was seeing was no longer the notorious, cold-hearted pawnbroker, but a man who desperately needed to have his kindness brought out more often.

"Also," he began, "please don't tell her it was from me. I doubt she wants anything to do with me at the moment."

"Then what do I tell her?"

Mr. Gold thought for a moment. "Just…keep it anonymous. She's a curious woman. The less she knows, the better."

With that, Mr. Gold turned and walked out of the diner. Ruby was still holding onto the small box. She smiled to herself. After yesterday's adventure, she believed that there was more to Mr. Gold than he let on. Ruby then remembered how Belle smiled at him after he rescued her. How she looked at him; not with fear, but with a kindness one would show to their loved one. Maybe Belle saw something in him that no one else could; the kind man he truly was. Ruby chuckled to herself.

Maybe she was beginning to see it, too.


End file.
